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Community College Pathway to Law School

Sponsored by the State Bar of California through California LAW, a nonprofit organization, this program offers California community college students a pathway to some of the state’s top law schools.

The Community Colleges Pathway to Law School initiative launched in 2014 with a goal of enhancing opportunities and advancement in the legal profession for diverse populations, particularly those who have traditionally been underrepresented; including students from the least affluent communities in California, first generation students, students of color, students with disabilities, veterans, and those who have work and family responsibilities.

This innovative program provides a clear pathway from community college to law school with the purpose of increasing diversity in the legal profession. The Community Colleges Pathway to Law School initiative requires students to complete courses based on a defined set of “success factors” that help make effective lawyers. Students in the program receive early exposure to the law school experience, individual advisement and mentoring from law school advisors, financial aid counseling, LSAT preparation and waived application fees for admission to the participating law schools.

Participating Law Schools

Chapman University
Loyola Marymount Law School
Pepperdine University
Santa Clara University School of Law
Southwestern Law School
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
University of California, Davis School of Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
University of California, San Francisco School of Law
University of the Pacific, McGeorge Law School
University of San Francisco School of Law
University of San Diego School of Law
University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
Western State College of Law

Requirements

In order to successfully complete this program, the student must:

Complete the Community College Pathway to Law School Orientation
Meet with a SCC counselor to create a Student Educational Plan
Successfully complete the required courses while in residence at Sacramento City College
Agree to release information pertinent to the program
Graduate/transfer from Sacramento City College

Courses

Law Initiative Required Courses
Course No.	Course Name/Subject
BUS 345 or SOC 318 (ADMJ 349)	Law and Society
ENGWR 300 or ENGWR 488 (Honors)	English Composition
ENGWR 301 or ENGWR 302 or ENGWR 303 or ENGWR 482 (Honors)	Critical Thinking
COMM 303 or COMM 311	Argumentation and Debate
STAT 300 or STAT 480 (Honors) or ECON 310 or PSYC 330	Statistics
HIST 310 or HIST 311 or HIST 320 or HIST 321 or HIST 483 (Honors) or HIST 484 (Honors)	US History
POLS 301 or POLS 481 (Honors)	Introduction to American Government

Suggested Electives Relevant to the Legal Profession
Course No.	Course Name
SOC 300 or PSYCH 320	Service/Civic Learning
HCD 310	College Success
ADMJ 320	Criminal Law
BUS 340	Business Law
PHIL 310	Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 320	Logic and Critical Thinking
POLS 304	Introduction to Government—California